Research Day 2012

For information about specific panels at the First Annual Research Day, please choose the panel you’d like to learn more about:

An air of energy and excitement was palpable as BWHers filled the Bornstein Amphitheater Thursday morning for the start of the first BWH Research Day.

A plenary session titled “BWH’s Strategic Commitment to Innovation and Discovery” served to welcome researchers, physicians, patients, staff, donors, media, industry partners and community members to the day-long showcase of the hospital’s thriving research community. It also served as the kick-off event for BluePrint, BWH’s multiyear celebration of its rich roots and history of achievements and innovation.

BWH Board of Trustees Chairman Marshall Moriarty moderated the panel, which consisted of BWH President Betsy Nabel, MD; Senior Vice President of Research Barbara Bierer, MD; Anne Klibanski, MD, Partners chief academic officer and chief of the Neuroendocrine Unit at MGH; Christine Seidman, MD, BRI director and director of the BWH Cardiovascular Genetics Center; and Joseph Loscalzo, MD, PhD, past director of the BRI and chairman of the Department of Medicine.

“Today is a day to celebrate our success,” Nabel told attendees. “It is your day to talk about what you love to do.”

Guided by Moriarty, whose lighthearted and self-deprecating humor warmed the room, these physician leaders explored BWH’s position as an academic medical center and research “powerhouse,” its collaborations and its vision for the future of research.

“Innovation and discovery are the foundation and fabric of everything we do here,” said Nabel. “This is a place of innovation, relevance and passion for caring for those in need.”

Moriarty highlighted the adventure and romanticism of research. “It is an act of faith,” he said. “You can’t see the results ahead of time. You will in fact make the world better in ways that you can’t ever know when you are starting out on the journey.” His questions to panelists ranged from the importance of BWH’s partnerships with other institutions to the “coolest” things happening here in research.

Bierer briefly spoke about the “Brigham Building for the Future,” a proposed 12-story building that will integrate clinical and research floors, slated to begin construction in 2014. “This will be a real home for collaboration and multidisciplinary efforts,” she said. “It will house musculoskeletal and neuroscience research and clinical areas, integrating clinical and basic research.”

Loscalzo, who is part of the team compiling a history book of BWH for the upcoming BluePrint celebration, reminded attendees of the crucial role research has played throughout the course of the hospital’s history.

“We’ve grown so much, as you’re hearing today, and the glue that holds this institution together is research and always will be,” he said.

Turning Science into Headlines

Face-to-face with a panel of media experts, BWH researchers had two minutes to deliver their best ‘power pitches’ to see if their science had the potential to make headlines. Journalists from The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, Bloomberg News and WCVB-TV each critiqued the pitches and gave their opinions on what makes a newsworthy story in health and science.

C. Keith Ozaki, MD, director of Vascular Surgery Research, had the panelists in applause as he concluded his pitch saying, “The last few meals you eat before surgery can make a difference on your recovery after surgery.”

“Are you available tonight at 5?” asked Jennifer Berryman, executive editor and producer of WCVB-TV.

What if your pregnancy complication could save your life?

Janet Rich-Edwards, ScD, (at left) divulged exciting research on this topic during her presentation “Does SeXX matter?” as part of the health equity and gender differences discussion at 9 a.m. Research has found that women who experience pre-eclampsia, a complication during pregnancy, are at greater risk for developing cardiovascular disease later in life. The good news? Cardiovascular disease is preventable, so that means physicians can proactively work with these patients on reducing their risk of disease after catching the warning sign during pregnancy.

More than 150 poster presentersshared their captivating research with BWHers and the community throughout the day.

BRI Director Christine Seidman, MD, and Elizabeth Karlson, MD, BRIght Futures Prize finalist, glance over the Research Day programduring a break in the day.